Tweet #LOYALandTRUE

EASTERN ILLINOIS (2-15, 0-4 OVC) vs. Southeast Missouri (7-11, 2-3 OVC)
Saturday, Jan. 22  •  3:30 pm 
Charleston, Ill.  •  First Mid Court at Lantz Arena

EIU GAME NOTES: PDF Link
RADIO: Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU
TV: ESPN+
LIVE STATS: www.eiupanthers.com
SERIES RECORD: SEMO leads 34-31
LAST MEETING: SEMO 94, @EIU 88 on Feb. 25, 2021

GAME 18
Eastern Illinois will play the third of four games in an eight day span as the Panthers return home to host Southeast Missouri on Saturday afternoon.  Based on COVID rescheduling, EIU faced league leader Murray State in back-to-back games on Monday and Thursday dropping both contests.  EIU enters the weekend at 2-15 overall, 0-4 in the OVC standings.  Southeast Missouri picked up its second win of the OVC campaign on Thursday night with a win over Tennessee State.  SEMO is 7-11 overall, 2-3 in the OVC.

BIZIMANA WITH A BREAKOUT GAME
Freshman Paul Bizimana had the best game of his young EIU career on Thursday night at Murray State.  Bizimana scored a season high 22 points going 8-of-14 from the floor including 3-of-5 from 3-point range.  Bizimana had been held scoreless in the first meeting this season with the Racers.  It was the second time in the last three games that Bizimana led the Panthers in scoring in a game also finishing with game high honors against SIUE.   Bizimana has three double figure scoring games this season with all three coming in the last six contests.  He was named the OVC Freshman of the Week following his 13 point, 7 rebound, 3 block performance against Ball State on Dec. 21. 

LANE LEADING PANTHERS IN OVC ACTION
Guard CJ Lane came off the bench to score ten points on Thursday at Murray State.  It was the fifth double figure scoring game this season for Lane with four of the five double figure performances coming off the bench.  He scored a season high 20 points in the OVC opener at Morehead State going 4-of-5 from 3-point range.  Lane has a team-high 23 3-pointers this season and is connecting on 34.3 percent from 3-point range.  The junior college transfer is currently EIU's leading scorer in OVC contests at 12 points per game which ranks 19th in the league in conference action. 

UP NEXT
Monday, January 24 vs. Belmont, 5 pm (ESPN+)